Title: Understanding Grace
1.Statistics of what God is doing around the world
A. Every day the average number added to the body of Christ worldwide averages 174,000.
B. 3,500 new churches are opening every week worldwide.
C. Every month another 15,000 in India are baptized as new believers in Jesus Christ.
D. Six new churches open every day in South Korea, and it is the site of nine of the world’s largest churches - some with more than 800,000 members.
E. In a six-year period in one Muslim country two million Muslims came to Christ
F. China's Protestant community had just one million members in 1949. In 2010 there were more than 58 million Protestants in China.
A leading expert on religion in China, believes that number will swell to around 160 million by 2025.
To what do we credit this growth? Most of these places are places of intense persecution, limited or no resources or live in hostile conditions,
Colossians 1:6 might be the answer
“All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has being doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.” (Colossians 1:6)
The gospel bears fruit and grows all over the world when people hear and understand God’s grace in all its truth.
What God is doing all over the world He wants to do in Ireland too! When Ireland hears and understands God’s Grace in all its truth we will bear fruit and grow in our own faith too.
Our goal today: To grow in our own understanding of God’s grace so that we can grow in our faith and bear fruit.
Our Starting point: What is God’s Grace?
We hear about God’s grace but do we understand what it is?
Definition: Grace is the favorable disposition of God towards sinners on account of Christ
Let’s try to understand and apply this definition of Grace better by breaking it down into three parts
A.Grace is the favorable disposition of God
3 Examples of the favorable disposition of God recorded in the Bible
1.Creation
Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. (Genesis 1:31)
2.Christ
It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:9)
3.Church
And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. (Acts 4:33)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2
Grace is the favorable disposition of God and the favorable disposition of God implies
1.Peace from God (the church)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2
Peace = Harmony with God, well-being with God; prosperity with God
2.Power from God (the church)
And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. (Acts 4:33)
Power from God = Dynamite, supernatural strength
3.Praise from God (Creation and Jesus)
Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. (Genesis 1:31)
Praise from God = God’s approval, pleasure
Here is what we need to first understand about God’s Grace
Everything we need in order to bear fruit and grow is all found in God’s grace!
We should already know that everything we need to get saved (right with God) is found in Grace
“For it is by grace we are saved through faith and this not of ourselves it is a gift from God”
Its just as true that everything we need to grow and bear fruit is also found in Grace
1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Illustration
Think for a moment about what we need to bear fruit and grow in our spiritual life?
1.We need peace with and from God!
Forgiveness, reconciliation, friendship with God
Grace is peace from God
For it is by Grace we are saved (peace with God)
2.We need power from God!
Grace is Power from God
2 Corinthians 12:9
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
3.We need praise from God and others!
Grace is praise from God
1 Corinthians 1:4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,
You can’t grow and bear fruit in your spiritual life apart from Grace
Grace gives us everything we need to grow and bear fruit for God
My Grace is sufficient for you
Grace gives us Peace from God the Father
Grace gives us Power from God the Holy Spirit
Grace gives us Praise from God the Son
In fact we stop bearing fruit and growing the day we live outside of Grace
There is no peace from God or power from God or praise from God apart from Grace
I need Grace! I can’t bear fruit and grow without Grace!
Everything I need to grow and bear fruit for God is found in Grace!
So who does God give this Grace too?
Let’s look at the second part of the definition of Grace
B. Grace is the favorable disposition of God…towards Sinners
Towards Sinners!! That can’t be right?
Surely Grace must be the favorable disposition of God towards Saints (perfect and holy people)
If God was only favorable disposed to giving grace towards perfect people He would be perfectly right to do so but it would not be grace.
Grace is only grace if it is given to someone who does not deserve it.
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace;
In 2 different places in the N.T. it says “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5 and James 4:6
What is the difference between a proud person and a humble person?
A proud person is someone who thinks they deserve God’s grace
A humble person is someone who thinks they don’t deserve grace.
Paraphrase: God resists giving grace to those who think they deserve it and instead gives it to those who think they don’t deserve it.
God resists the proud but assists the humble
Grace is always a gift from God to those who don’t deserve it
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. (1 Tim 1:12-14)
Illustration: Amazing Grace
What is so amazing about Grace?
1.That it contains everything we need to grow and bear fruit
2.That God gives it to sinners.
Grace is given to the undeserving for a deserving cause
Grace is always given- never earned
So how do I receive this Grace?
For the answer to how I receive this Grace look at the final part of the definition of Grace
C. Grace is the favorable disposition of God towards sinners on account of Christ
On account of Christ means we access the Grace of God through Christ.
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:16-17)
The Grace of God comes to us through Christ
Grace is God’s Riches at Christ’s expense
Grace is costly to God!
Grace is the most costly gift God can give to anyone!
2 Corinthians 6:1
We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
The Grace of God is given to us in order that we might bear fruit and grow in our faith
The grace of God contains everything we need to bear fruit and grow in our faith
Peace from God, power from God, Praise from God
2 Timothy 2:1
You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Prayer
Thank you God for your amazing grace. In your grace you have given us everything we need for salvation and for growing and bearing fruit. Your grace comes through Jesus to all those who humble themselves and admit they don’t deserve it.
Help us to be strong in your grace, to stand in your grace and to share your grace with others.
Amen!
